1. Technical Field
The invention lies in the field of ventilation for interior spaces and relates particularly to air outlets which generate an air flow with fanned out air jets. These types of air outlets are especially suited for applications in motor vehicles.
2. Background Art
An air outlet for the ventilation of a motor vehicle is known from German Published Patent Application No. 24 44 116, in which air baffles in a flexible lattice form subdivide an exhaust port into a greater number of air guide ducts. By convexly deforming the lattice to give the air outlet the form of a spherical segment, certain air baffles can be inclined relative to the axis of the air outlet. The result is that the exhaust directions of the air guide ducts diverge from the axis of the air outlet, so that an air jet emerges from the air outlet fanned out into different directions of flow. To adjust this air jet, the air baffles are mounted on two bowed spring wires, which are arranged crosswise. The baffles are preferably components of a one-piece grid made of a flexible rubberlike material, through which the bowed spring wires pass. The ends of the spring wires fit into fixed sockets that are spaced apart by less than the length of the wires, thereby causing the wires to bow. When the wires bow inwardly, the grid is flat. When they bow outwardly, the grid assumes a convex spherical form.
German Patent No. 25 25 917 and related Published Patent Application No. 27 02 334 disclose an adjustable air outlet for ventilating or air conditioning an individual workstation in a room. It has two discharge zones, which are arranged concentrically to each other. Both discharge zones are subdivided into several outlet ducts, which are defined respectively by an inner and an outer wall area and by air baffles formed by blades. The blades of the outer discharge zone can be adjusted diagonally, giving the air jets a turbulent swirl effect. The inner discharge zone can be provided with a movable insert to adjust the air flow.
EPO Patent No. 0 242 582 shows another outlet for providing turbulent air swirl with an inner and outer discharge zone and with inclined air baffles in the outer discharge zone. Both discharge zones are arranged in a duct so that they can be moved axially, thus providing a variable design for the characteristic exhaust property of the air outlet.